The present invention relates to inflatable webs that can be inflated to provide gas-inflated chambers for cushioning purposes. More particularly, this invention relates to an apparatus and method for inflating the inflatable webs.
Air cellular cushioning materials are commonly used to protect articles during shipment. One such product is BUBBLE WRAP® air cellular cushioning material sold by Sealed Air Corporation. Air cellular cushioning material is generally prepared at a production plant and shipped in rolls to distributors and end users. Since the rolls comprise a substantial amount of air in the cells of the material, the rolls are bulky, such that shipping costs are relatively high. Furthermore, the rolls require substantial space requirements for storage prior to use.
To address these issues, it has been proposed to provide inflatable webs shipped to the end user in a deflated state, and to allow the end user to inflate and seal the webs as needed. In general, such products have not been commercially significant because of the cost and complexity of the inflation equipment that is required. Strides have been made toward simplifying and reducing the cost of the inflation equipment and improving its reliability, as exemplified in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/057,067 filed Jan. 25, 2002, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. However, further improvements are sought. In particular, it is desired to improve upon the consistency of inflation of the chambers of the inflatable web, and to improve upon the ease of use of the inflation equipment.